Watson was a late substitute for Mark Kaylor (who couldn't make weight) against Lee and only 22, it was crazy for Duff to put him in. Lee was a tall, rangey switch-hitting southpaw with highlight reel Kayos (Bob Foster-like), #1 contender to Hagler not long before after bashing Sibbo better than Hagler did. Only lost against the hottest prospect in boxing Olajide (front cover of Sports lllustrated after beating Lee). Watson was far more impressive against Lee than Olajide was, in an unheralded undercard fight shown on Grandstand three days later. He timed his lead overarm rights perfectly against the southpaw stance with pinpoint accuracy. Against Benn, he was just tremendous. That schooling AND the performance against Eubank in the rematch are more impressive than Calzaghe against Lacy, Toney against Barkley or Jones against Toney.
Watson was my favourite of all the super talents (Herol Graham, Benn, Eubank, Colin McMillan). He may not of been as gifted as Errol Christie or Rod Douglas, who were seamless in their rolling with shots and combination punching. Those two were better than them all, if they had better management (Errol chucked in with a light-heavy and Rod chucked in too early with Bomber) and, say, Eubank's ability to absorb punches! Watson was matched hardest, right from the start at 19. It's unheard of for a teenager to make his debut in a six-rounder against a guy with a dozen fights and winning record. Winston Wray was a black Jamaican with dreads and Watson cut him up bad with face shots. Carlton Warren was a fellow prospect with an awesome body and aggressive American-type style Mike wasn't used to and so it was a total war, Warren was very avoided after that. He then fought James Cook less than two weeks later! Cook was a future European champ, with a tight duck-and-weave style that Mike hadn't seen before in Britain (usually stand up boxers). Talk about learning your game! He then fought on undercards at Wembley Stadium and Caesers Palace (Bruno and Nunn). He probably would've main evented at both had Eubank not delivered that fateful uppercut. He fought American imports in 88/89 who were all just marginally less sharp than he was, which kept bringing him on. All the different styles. Ricky Stackhouse he proved the power of his overarm right against, flooring him in the first with a perfectly timed shot - Stackhouse had just given Graham and Duran all they could handle over the distance. So going into the Benn fight, with an experienced corner of Mickey Duff, Dennie Mancini and the man he'd been with since the amateurs Eric Seccombe, as well as sparring with Kirkland Laing and Dennis Andries all throughout the 80s from a teenager, and many times with John Mugabi, it is actually quite amazing in hindsight that Benn was such a HUGE favourite going into the fight (considering he'd only been a pro two years, hardly had any rounds under his belt, his trainer never fought and never trained anyone else, and he never did ANY sparring!!) Watson was working with experienced Wilfred Scypion, who fought Hagler, and Rod Douglas and Darren Dyer for the Benn fight. Awesome sparring. Benn was working on the double-end ball and a swinging bag stuffed with clothes that his PE teacher 'trainer' Brian Lynch made up and hung, and doing loads of weight-training and calisthenics. It was the classic example of skill over brawn, learning your trade over being a primadonna.
He may not of had Benn's power and aggression, Eubank's movement and posing, Graham's awkwardness or McMillan's slickness. But he was the classical professional, doing everything right, inching forward with his feet, keeping his shoulders moving, keeping his right hand up, using his jab. Never off-balance like the others. He looked stiff and awkward and wooden almost, but his timing was supreme with the overarm right once he'd found his distance with creeping footwork and angled, leaning jabs. He'd mix in hooks to the body and head and uppercuts, with either or both hands, once he'd stepped up closer, turning his shoulders in and using angles with torso motion in a very, very smooth manner.
Let's also not forget Watson beat John Beckles in the '84 London ABA final. Beckles was smashing all the best Russians at the time and tipped for Olympic stardom. He often had byes because amateur coaches didn't want their fighters being damaged. Watson obliterated him in 30 seconds with his perfect overarm right! Beckles, Lee, Benn - Mike Watson was the giant killer. Like Holyfield was over Ricky Womac and Tyson.
He also dropped Errol Christie straight away with that overarm right! I think Watson could've landed it on Michael Nunn, like he did Lee (from the first round!). If Nunn got cocky or held his feet.
I never really rated Cleverly and the absolute idiot he now appears to be tarnishes any good memories of him.
On eastside probably david haye. Haye had a few weaknesses...but his strengths we,re superb. He used to really break guys down and get them to the point of being scared to throw most of the time the guys that did throw usually ended up paying the price. Massive puncher and fast with it as well. Never the best technically but didnt really need to be cause his style usually got the job done regardless. Thompson was a learning experience. He battered thompson tbh...but thompson being thompson with his unbelievable power of recovery came back to hand him a lesson he pretty much needed. He was finished for bellew and klitchko was a bridge too far....people still underestimate how big a jump heavyweight is to cruiserweight. Wins against chisora, barrett and ruiz and valuev are actually good wins for a blown up cruiserweight. Its not that haye is britains best ever fighter but you see posts on here talking like the guy was rubbish and bellew etc beat him up in sparring years back and would always have beaten him etc. Its a bit of a joke. Haye would have hurt bellew badly in his prime.